Expedited FBI Apostille Services in Florida
Planning residency in Panama, Colombia or Spain, and the consulate wants an apostilled FBI background check? Apostille Authentications serves Florida residents remotely. You email us the FBI result, we obtain the federal apostille in Washington, DC, and it reaches your Florida address by FedEx in 10 business days.
Call (971) 514-3743 or request a quote.
- Ensure your documents are processed without delay
- Speak with our experts for personalized assistance
- Discover how we can expedite your apostille process
Why Tallahassee cannot apostille your FBI background check
In Florida, apostilles come from the Department of State, Division of Corporations, in Tallahassee. It certifies Florida records: birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates, court documents certified by a Florida clerk, state agency documents, school transcripts, and anything notarized by a Florida notary public.
Federal documents are outside its authority. The Division’s own instructions send federal paperwork to the U.S. Department of State, and an FBI Identity History Summary is federal. Only the Office of Authentications in Washington, DC can apostille it.
Two mistakes we see from Florida clients:
- An FDLE check is not an FBI check. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is the state’s central repository for criminal history, and its Florida criminal history record check searches Florida records only. FDLE can return certified results, and Tallahassee can apostille those as a state document, but that still is not the national check a foreign consulate means when it asks for an FBI report.
- Getting the wrong apostille on the right document. Some applicants have a Florida notary certify a printout of the FBI PDF, then send it to Tallahassee. The apostille that comes back covers the notary, not the FBI official. Foreign immigration offices generally refuse it and the application clock keeps running.
If you also need Florida vital records or court documents legalized, see Florida state apostille services.
How it works from Florida
- Fingerprints and FBI request. Arrange fingerprinting where you live: an ink FD-1164 card taken by a police department or a fingerprinting vendor, or electronic capture at a participating U.S. Post Office once you have registered through the FBI’s eDO site. Then request your Identity History Summary from the FBI for its $18 fee.
- FBI result. You receive a PDF with the FBI watermark and a division official’s signature.
- Send us the PDF. Email it along with your passport page. We check that the name and date of birth agree. Florida clients with two surnames, or a married name that differs from the passport, should flag it at this stage.
- Federal apostille. We complete Form DS-4194 and our office in Herndon, Virginia hand-carries your request to the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications. There is no DOJ certification step in between.
- Return. The apostilled check is shipped by FedEx to your Florida address, or overseas by FedEx or DHL.
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Translations/ Intl. Shipping
Certified translation and discounted shipping.
Florida pricing and turnaround
| Service | Price | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Expedited FBI apostille (you already have the FBI result) | $390 | 10 business days |
| Standard FBI apostille | $195 | 7–8 weeks |
Where we serve Florida clients
This is a mail-in service. We have no Florida office, so there is nothing to drive to and no appointment to book with us. Clients in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Naples, Sarasota and Pensacola all follow the same steps: email the FBI PDF, then wait for FedEx.
The speed comes from where our courier is, not where you are. Our Virginia office is a short drive from the Department of State and files in person.
Why Floridians need an apostilled FBI check
Panama, Colombia and Costa Rica are common destinations for our Florida clients, mainly for retirement and residency visas, and Brazil and Mexico follow for work and family moves out of South Florida. Spain and Portugal draw retirees and remote workers from Miami, Tampa and Orlando. Italy comes up for citizenship by descent, and teachers heading to South Korea need the same document for their visa.
Most of those countries want the apostilled check in Spanish or Portuguese. Certified translation can be ordered together with the apostille. Ask the consulate how recent the check must be, since 3 to 6 months is a typical limit.
Our FBI apostille services page explains the federal process in more detail.
FAQ
Can the Florida Department of State apostille an FBI background check?
No. The Division of Corporations in Tallahassee apostilles Florida-issued and Florida-notarized documents. It directs federal documents, including FBI background checks, to the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC.
Will an FDLE background check work instead of an FBI check?
Only when the foreign authority asked for a state-level check. An FDLE Florida criminal history record check covers Florida records only. If the instructions say FBI, federal or national, you need the FBI Identity History Summary.
How fast is an expedited FBI apostille in Florida?
10 business days from the day your FBI result reaches us by email. Standard processing takes 7–8 weeks.
I am in Miami. Do I have to mail anything to Tallahassee or Washington?
No. Tallahassee is not involved in a federal apostille, and we handle the Washington filing. You email the FBI PDF and receive the finished document by FedEx.
Do I need a Spanish translation for Panama or Colombia?
In most cases yes. Spanish-speaking immigration offices generally expect a translation of both the FBI check and its apostille, and we can prepare it with your order.
Start your Florida FBI apostille
Call (971) 514-3743, message us on WhatsApp, or request a quote with your destination country and deadline.
